Kelly Tillage is a family business with strong community values. Shane Kelly, a farmer from South Australia, grew up on their family farm and has been familiar with Kelly equipment since he remembers. “The Kelly machines started on the Kelly family farm. My father started the engineering business, and like several other farming businesses, we always paid attention to the next upcoming generations. Leaving the farm in a better condition and in better health than the way we took it over from the previous generation,” says Shane.
Shane adds: “Soil health is a really important focus of ours. We have developed the tool with the focus and intention of managing and improving soil health. Doing the job that you need to do as a farmer, with the smallest amount of disturbance to your soil, improving soil carbon, respect and improving soil biology and bacterial activity within the soil.
Stephan Nel, Managing Director of Case IH, and Shane Kelly, Executive Director R&D and New Market Development of Kelly Tillage, cutting the ribbon at NAMPO 2023 to announce the partnership of NMI and Kelly Tillage.
For Kelly Tillage, sustainable agriculture means improvements in soil structure and productivity, building up soil carbon, best use of soil moisture, integrated weed management and improved economic margins.
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- Shane Kelly and Andre Olwagen, Head of NMI within the Case IH group.
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- Ashley Whitfield, representative of Kelly Tillage in South Africa, also attended the partnership announcement ceremony at NAMPO 2023.
Shane highlights some of the benefits of the Kelly 3009 Diamond harrow for farmers:
- Stubble and residue management
- Returning the carbon back into the soil
- Improving soil health
- Improving soil moisture
- Plant production
- Effective seedbed preparation
- Higher germination rates
- Good crop establishment, resulting in better yield production
- Weed management and control
“The real key feature of the tool is weed control. With various blade options that we have available on the machine, controlling and killing weeds is the key pillar and benefit for farmers. If you can remove one herbicide or pesticide application in a season, you almost save the cost of the machine. Most farmers report a twelve to eighteen month payback on their investment, thereby adding profit to farming businesses by reducing costs in their operations,” Shane adds.
The impressive green Kelly Diamond Harrow at NMI’s stand attracted much attention at NAMPO this year.
Kelly Tillage equipment has been known to South African farmers for the past seven years. “Over the years, Kelly products have developed a good reputation, and the momentum that we have with the product interest is really positive. It is a big honour for us to be present at NAMPO 2023 where we can celebrate a new relationship between Kelly Tillage and NMI,” Shane says.
He continues: “We are looking forward to the partnership with NMI – expanding our distribution within Southern Africa and particularly throughout South Africa. We are really excited about this partnership and new opportunity. It gives me ease of mind knowing that we are giving farmers across the country the opportunity to access this technology, knowing that they will have good local service and back-up from the NMI team and dealers.”
For more information on Northmec Implements (NMI) and their leading equipment, visit their website https://www.northmecimp.co.za/
